Sylvania



(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 11.

G. REID 8v 0. STEVENSON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 544,995. Patented Au fzo, 1895.

INVENTORS (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. N

' G. REID "8,: C. STEVENSON.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 20,1895.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets Sh eet 3.

G. REID & O. STEVENSON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 544,995. Patented Aug. 20,1895.

Q, W m

INVENTORS mix M) /W 274447 UNiT an STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRAHAM REID AND CHARLES STEVENSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

omo'u LAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,995, dated August20, 1895.

Application filed November 28, 1893. Serial No. 492,290. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, GRAHAM REID and CHARLES STEVENSON, of the city ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines, whereof the followingis a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention belongs to that class of knitting-machines wherein atcertain periods individual needles are successively raised to theidle-level during a predetermined interval, and are subsequentlydepressed one by one into an operative position for the purposes,respectively, of narrowing and widening the fabric, as in themanufacture of stockings. Such machines embody two pairs ofneedle-shifting devices viz., two needle-lifters symmetrically arrangedon opposite sides of the central knitting-cam and two needle-depressorsalso symmetrically arranged in a similar man ner. lhe needle-lifters andthe needle-depressors, which are upon the same side of theknitting-cams, constitute a group, and as the individual members of thecorresponding group upon the other side of the knittingcams areprecisely-similar to those of the firstmentioned group, except in thefact that they face (or are adapted to engage the needlehubs) in anopposite direction, only one such group will be described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top or plan view ofthe machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.Fig. 3 is a View of the interior of the cam-cylinder projected upon aplane surface. Fig. 4c is a detail View of a use dle-lifter detachedfrom its position and shown ih perspective. Fig. 5 is a similar view ofa needle-depressor. Fig. 6 is a View in perspective of the tripping-camadapted to throw the needle-lifters into an operative position ateachsuccessive reciprocation. Fig. 7 is a similar view of thetripping-cam, which acts in like manner upon the needle-depressors.Figs.8 and 9 are detail views, respectively, of the trippers oroutwardly-projecting parts upon the needle-lifters and needle-depressorswhich engage with said last-mentioned cams. Fig. 10 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the action of the needle-lifter upon the needlehub,showing the same in two positions. Fig. ll isaview in perspective of amodified form of needle-lifter. Fig. 12 is atop or plan View thereof.Fig. 13 is a partial view of a needledepressor in a similarly-modifiedform; and Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of sucha lifter as is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the parts being shown in twodifferent positions.

Referring now to the general views, A represents thestationarybase-plate of the machine, and A the stationary ring mounted thereon andoverlapping the horihontal flange 13 0f the cam-cylinder B, which isactuated in the ordinary manner-i. 6., continuously rotated during'thatportion of the knitting operation which is to form the tubular fabricand reciprocated during the period when the narrowing and wideningoperations, respectively, occur.

The needle-cylinder is indicated by the dotted lines at Gand thethread-carrier at B As the construction of these parts and their methodof operation are well understood, it is not deemed necessaryto refermore particularly thereto.

In Fig. 3 the needle-ledge b, the knittingcams b b b and switch-cams b bare shown and the position of the two needleshifting groups withrelation thereto is indicated. On each side of the central knitting-camb and immediately above the knitting-cams b b vertical slots B B",respectively, are formed through the wall of the cam-cylinder. Saidslots are provided with oifsets B B respect. ively, near their lowerends and at the side which in each instance is farthest from the centralknitting-cam b. The upper surfaces of the knitting-cams b b aredepressed or indented, as indicated by b 19 respectively, at pointsadjacent to their outer ends, and the slots B 13 extend downward to alevel within the depressed or indented portion of said knitting-cams, asshown, so that the outer end of each knitting-cam b b shall raise theneedle-hub to a point slightly above the bottom of the adjacent slot.The. slots B B admit the arms or inwardly-projecting portions of the twoneedle-lifters, which will be hereinafter described.

At the points adjacent to the slots B B, re-

spectively, but farther from the central knitting-cam b, asecond pair ofslots B B respectively, extend downward from the upper edge of thecam-cylinder, the bottom of said slots being at a level slightly belowthe outer ends of the central knitting-cam I). Said slots are formedrespectively with offsets B B at top and at that side which in eachinstance is farthest from the central knittingcam, and adjacent to saidoffsets inwardlyoverhauging short cams N M, respectively, may be mountedupon the top of the wall of the cam-cylinder and project downward to thelevel of the bottom of the offsets B 13 respectively. The slots B Breceive the arms or inwardly-projecting portions of theneedledepressors, which will hereinafter be described in detail.

We will now proceed to describe the members of the needle-shifting groupI, comprising one needle-lifter and one needle-depressor, said groupbeing upon the left-hand side of the thread-guide in Figs. 1 and 2, andconsequently upon the right-hand side thereof in Fig. 3.

First. The needle-lifter. (See Fig. 4.) A vertical post D is mounted inthe horizontal flange B of the cam-cylinder opposite to the slot 13*.Said post receives a sleeve D, which is adapted to slide freelythereon,andto said sleeve is rigidly attached a block D which carriesupon its inner face the needle-lifting arm d, and upon its outer reducedand beveled part 01 the inclined projecting piece d which we term thetripper, since by its ongagement with the proper tripping-cam theneedle-lifter is thrown into an operative position, or set, during thereciprocation which precedesits operating movement. The lifter-arm d isof rectangular cross-section, excepting at its extreme outer end, whereit terminates in an inclined step (1, adapted to engage beneath andtemporarily hold a needle hub. The arm 01 is of such length that itsrectangular shoulder (1 extends into the slot B but not beyond the innersurface of the 'wall of the cam-cylinder, while the inclined step dprojects inward sufficiently far to be within the range of theneedle-hub. A spring D is coiled about the sleeve D and post D, theupper end of said spring being secured at D to the flange B of thecam-cylinder and the upper end of the spring being attached to the underside of the block D Said spring tends normally to throw said blockupward and also to turn or rotate it, so as to throw the arm 01 awayfrom the central knittingcam 13. These two normal tendencies of thespring D are indicated respectively by the small arrows adjacent to saidspring in Fig. 4t.

Assuming the existence of mechanism for automatically setting theneedle-lifter at stated intervals, (which mechanism will hereinafter bedescribed,) the operation of the needle-lifter is as follows: Normallythe arm would be at the top of the slot B but when the setting mechanismacts it is forced downward against the upward tension of the spring D tothe bottom of the slot, .whereupon the torsional tension of the spring Dthrows the arm 01 away from the central knitting-cam b and in so doingcauses the shoulder d of the said arm to engage in the offset 13 of theslot 13. The upper face of said offset thus serves as a detent whichprevents the rise of the arm so long as it remains seated in the offset.When, however, the knittingcams, in moving to the right in Fig. 3, causethe needles to ride upon the switch-cam B and thence onto the outer endof the knitting-cam b the hub of the end needle of the then operativeseries will ride into the step d upon the arm d, and as movement of thecam-cylinder continues the said arm will be turned by the hubhorizontally toward the knitting-cam 1) until the shoulder d of the armclears the detaining upper surface of the offset B Thereupon instantlythe upward tension of the spring D throws the arm at (and with it theneedle seated in the step) vertically upward to the extreme upper end ofthe slot 13, and as movement of the cam-cylinder still continues theneedle-hub rides up the inclined a face of the step d, and on passingbeyond the same is delivered to the upper surface of the centralknitting-cam b, on which it passes to the idle-level. This action has,of course, re-

. sulted in the needle-lifters being thrown to its extreme upwardposition on the post D, and in order that it may be able to engageanother needle it must be returned to the bottom of the slot B anddetained there until at the proper moment the next succeeding end needleupon that side of the active series 3 shall approach it. This return orsetting is effected in the following manner: Upon theoutwardly-projecting beveled end of the block D is mounted thetransversely-inclined tripper d At a suitable point upon the baseplate Awe mount a pair of uprights H, par- 1 allel to one another, with aninterspace, as shown in Fig; 1. i ping-cam H, hinged at its rear end tothe uprights by means of the transverse pin H and Said uprights carry atripprojecting inwardly beyond said uprights to a point which is withinthe circle described by the tripper d as the same rotates with thecam-cylinder. A spring H normally tends to throw said tripping-cam Hupward, the limit ofits upward movement being fixed by means of thetransverse pin H but said cam may be depressed against the tension ofthe spring H and held in a depressed position by means of the pin H,which can be Withdrawn and inserted at will. When held in the depressedposition shown in Fig. 2, the tripping-cam His at such a low level thatthe tripper 61 will not come in contact therewith; but when the pin H iswithdrawn and the trippingcam H is permitted to rise to its extremeupward position its inner end is at such a height that the tripper (1will pass beneath it, and by reason of the configuration of the undercam-su rface hthe tripper d will be depressed,

carrying downward the block D and consequently the lifter-arm d. Theextent of this depression corresponds with the depth of the slot 13 andupon reaching this lowest position in said slot the tension of thespring D will, as above stated, turn the arm d, so as to engage itsshoulder d within the detent formed by the offset B in the slot. It willbe observed that the inner end of the tripping-cam H is curved upon itsupper surface h as well as upon the lowerone h, which latter is theoperative surface for the purpose of depressing the needle-lifter. Thereason for curving the upper surface h is as follows:

When the needle-shifting devices are first thrown into play and thetripping-cam H is in its operative position, at the first completereciprocation of the cam-cylinder the tripping-cam H will depress one ofthe needlelifters by reason of the passage of the tripper d thereofbeneath the under surface hof the cam. The same movement of thecam-cylinder will, however, also carry the other needlelifter past thetripping-cam H, but in the wrong direction for operative engagementtherewith, because the tripper diupon one needle-lifter is inclined inthe opposite direction from the tripper upon the needle-lifter of theother group. Hence provision must be made for the passage of thewrongly-inclined tripperby or beyond the trippingcam H at the initialreciprocation. To this intent the under side of the tripper d isinclined and the upper surface h of the tripping-cam His rounded, sothat when the under side of the tripper, d at the initial reciprocationreaches the tripping-cam H said tripper will pass freely over therounded upper surface it of the tripping-cam H and slightly depress saidcam against the tension of the spring H So soon as the tripper hascleared the tripping-cam H, the tension of the spring 1-1 will restorethe latterto its operative position, and on the return reciprocation theupper surface of the tripper (1 will operatively engage beneath thelower-surface of the trip ping-cam H. This state of affairs occurs butonce d uring the entireperiod 0f reciprocating move1nent -viz., duringthe initial reciprocationeof the cam-cylinder at the change fromcontinuous rotary to oscillating movement. Second. The needle-depressor.(See Fig. This instrumentality is in effect a needle-lifter reversed,and maybe described in detail as follows, reference being had only tothat depressor which forms part of the group I at the left-hand side ofFig. land at the righthand side of Fig. 3. A vertical post-E is mountedin the flange B ef the cam-cylinder, and said post carries a sleeve E,capable of free movement thereon, said sleeve being rigidly connectedwith a block E which carries the depresser-arm e. A coiled spring Esurrounds the post and lower portion of the sleeve and is secured at thelower end to theflange E, as shown at E and at the upper end to theblock E the tension of the spring normally tending to depress the blockE and also to rotate the arm 6 away from the central knitting-cam I).These normal tendencies of the spring E are respectively indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 5. From the inner face of the block E the arm eprojects inwardly and terminates in a step 6', formed upon the undersurface of its front end, capable of engagement with a'needle-hub fromabove, in the same manner as the step upon the lifterarm d engages thehub from below. The

length of the arm 8 is such that the step 6' extends clear into theinterior of the cam-cylinder and within the range of the needle-hubswhen the same are at the idle-level, and the squared portion or shouldere of the arm 6 fits into and engages with the offset B of the slot B soas to detain the arm against the downward tension of thespring EAssuming theexistence of mechanism for automatically raising the block Eto its uppermost position against the tension of the spring E and thussetting the arm in an operative position, where it is temporarily thearm down to the bottom of the slot B carrying with it theneedle. Onreaching the bottomof the slot B the inclined under surface of the arm 6depresses the needle-fhub a slight distance farther and leaves thelatter at a level within the range of the outer point of the centralknitting-cam b, so that said needle assumesits position in the activeseries.

To automatically effect the return of the needle depressor to its upwardand operative position, we provide the trippiug-cam K, which is pivotedat K between the uprights K, mounted upon the base-plate A, said cambeing free to rise upon pressure from beneath, but restrained againstdownward movement by means of a pin K (See dotted lines of Fig. 2.) Thefront end of the cam K is cut away upon the under side, as indicated atK,

for a purpose which will hereinafter be mentioned, and the operativecam-surface has the configuration shown at 71; and Upon the outer faceof the block E, which carries the needle-depressor, is mounted aninclined tripper a (see Figs. 5 and 9,) whose under surface is capableof engagement, on movement in the proper direction, with the uppersurface 7c of the cam K, and whose upper surface can ride upon the lowersurface It of said cam inthe opposite direction.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the inward projectionof the tripper-cam K is considerably greater than the inward projectionof the cam II, and consequently the tripper-cam K is capable ofengagement with the tripper e of the needle-depressor, although saidtripper has a very considerably less radial projection,and consequentlydescribes a smaller circle than the tripper 01 upon the needle-lifter.Hence the tripper e is in operative relation to the surface 70 of thetripper-cam K and will be at each reciprocation acted upon thereby, soas to raise the needle-depressor to the extreme upward position, while,however, the tripper e will freely pass and avoid the other tripping-camH. In order, however, that the tripper (1 upon the needle-lifter shallnot be affected by the tripping-cam K in its passage by the latter, weprovide the channel or cut-away portion K on the under side of thetrippingcam K, said channel corresponding in radial distance from thecenter of rotation with the radial distance of the tripper (1 Thus asthe needle-lifter passes the tripping-cam K the tripper (1 will passunder the latter, while the overhanging front end of said cam K will beover the reduced and beveled projection d of the lifter-block D Whateverslight contact may take place exerts no injerious effect, by reason ofthe fact that the tripping-cam K is free to rise and thus accommodateitself to any trifling degree ofinterference, falling back into itsoperative position as soon as the tripper d has passed by.

In using needle-depressors of the form shown in Fig. 5 we prefer toemploy the guardcams N M, adjacent to the slots 13 B respectively, inorder that should any needle have been accidentally raised above whatmay be considered as the normal idle-level, the hub thereof shall bestruck by the guard-cam M or N and be forced downward by the undersurface m or n thereof to the exact position for engagement with thestep upon the needledepressor. Such guard-cams, however, are adjunctsand not essential to the operation of the needle-depressors, servingmerely to remedy any accidental irregularity of position in the needles.It is, of course, essential that when the needle-lifters are inoperation the needle-depressors shall be idle, and vice versa and alsothat during the period of continuous rotary knitting both shall be idle.These'conditions are obtained by permitting the needle-lifter to remainat the top of its slot and the needle-depressor to remain at the bottomof its slot, where they are of course inoperative to affect needles innormal action. During this period the tripping-cam H is depressed, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and held out of range of both sets oftrippers, and the tripping-cam K is raised or thrown over backward onits pivot K so as in like manner to be clear of the trippers. When theneedlelifters are to be operated, the tripping-cam H is permitted toassume its uppermost position, the tripping-cam K being still thrownoutward, and when the needle-depressorsare to be in operation thetripping-cam K is lowered or turned inward into the position indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2 and the tripping-cam II is depressed and locked bymeans of the pin H In Figs. 11 and 12 we have illustrated in perspectiveand top views, respectively, an alternative form of needle-lifter, whichis also capable, of course, of serving in reverse position as aneedle-depressor, it being understood that t-he other mechanism forautomatically setting and shifting the same operates in a similar mannerto that just described. The difference between the lifter-arm shown inthese two figures last mentioned and the lifter-arm indicated in thegeneral views lies in the fact that-instead of providing an inclinedstep which engages the needle, and which also, to a certain extentoperates as a cam after the throw of the arm itself has taken place, weemploy a step which, upon the completion of the upward throw of thelifter, (or downward throw of the depressor), automatically disengagesitself from the needle without compelling the latter to ride alongits'surface in frictional contact therewith. Thus in said figures Rindicates the sleeve, which is capable of movement upon the post. Rindicates the block, upon whose outer face are the reduced projection rand the tripper T The lifter-arm r is, however, longitudinally slottedin a vertical direction or bifurcated, and a thin strap r is secured inthe slot by a pivot T The free ends 1' of the bifurcated arm 1' arereduced 'in vertical height, so that the-intermediate strip r rises uponthe upper face of the arm 4", and thus formsinconjunctiontherewithastep,or rather a pair of steps, one on each side ofthe center of the arm. The range of movement of the strip r upon itspivot r is sufficient to permit said strip to drop down, so that its topmay be flush with the upper surface of the reduced front end of the arm1", and the range of upward movement of the strip r corresponds with theposition shown in Fig. 11.

The method of operation of such a form of device is as follows: Assumingthat the needle-lifter has been by the action of the trippingcam IIdepressed to the bottom of its slot and engaged in the detent thereof,the strip 4" will be raised by contact with the bottom of the slot andpresent a step for the needle-hub. When engagement occurs, as beforedescribed, the arm will be turned sufficiently to clear it from thedetent, whereupon the spring (not shown in this figure, but similar tothe spring D before described) will throw the arm (still engaging theneedle) to the upper part of the slot. The strip 7, however, will strikeagainst the upper surface of the slot and be knocked down upon its pivotr so that the top of said strip will be flush with the upper surface ofthe bifurcated arm 1', thereby no longer presenting any lateralobstruction to the passage of the needle-hub, which will accordingly becleared by the arm and ride upon the upper surface of the knit- IlO ,the arm itself as a radius-bar.

ting-cam b, to the idle-level. This action of the bifurcated arm andstrip is indicated in Fig. 14, where the lower view shows the needle-hubc as engaging in the step formed by the stripr in its raised position,while'the upper figure shows the strip 7"" knocked down at theconclusion of the needle-lifting operation and clearing the hub. In Fig.13 we have illustrated the action of. a similarly-modified device, whenemployed as a needle-depressor. Understanding the parts to be mountedfor vertical movement, under the action of a spring, in the same manneras before, the inwardly-projecting depressor-arm t is bifurcated andprovided with a central strip t, pivoted thereto, in a manner similar tothe pivoting of the strip in the needle-lifter. In order, however, thatsaid strip shall be struck upon its rising movement, so as to presentthe proper shoulder for engaging the needle, we mount uponthe uppersurface of the cam-cylinder B a bridge 0, which projectsover the top ofthe slot 13*. The two positions of the needledepressor are shown in Fig.13, the upper one ready for engagement with the needle, being indicatedin solid lines, and thelower one, after clearance of the needles, beingindicated by thedotted lines. The action of this needie-depressor is, asabove stated, precisely similar to the action of thesimilarly-constructed needle-lifter, save that the direction of itsengagement with the needle-hub is from above instead of below, and themovement after engagementis downward instead of up- Ward.

, Having thus described our invention, we now point out certainconspicuous features of difference in itsconstruction and mode of operation from devices heretofore used for the same general purpose. Inthese older devices,

where pivoted arms or their equivalents were employed to effect theshifting of the needles, the shifting action has been the resultant oftwo different rotary movements-via, the retary movement of thecam-cylinder in one plane and the rotation in another plane of Where theneedle-shifting arm has been mounted entirely within the cam-cylinderthe disadvantages are obvious, the most notable being lack of space forconstructing the parts of proper rigidity, and the very limited throwwhich the arm is capable of obtaining. Where, on the other hand, theshifting-arms have extended through the wall of the cylinder, theoperation presents the disadvantage of a thrust which must be exertedlaterally upon the needlehub and also longitudinally upon .thearrnitself, which thrust, in the act of raising the hub, tends to bend ordistortit, sometimes rendering the grooves upon the needle-cylinderirregular and necessarily producing an undesirable wear upon theneedle-groove, owing to the relatively great frictional contact with theside of the needle. It the shifting movement is to be considerable thelateral strain upon the needle and hub is excessive, because theinterval ofoperation, considered as a fr'action of the rotation of thecam-cylinder, must be very short.

.Our invention obviates all the disadvantages referred to and differsradically from previous devices, so far as we are aware, in that therotary movement of the camveylin der is not an operative factor inactually shifting the needle. Such shifting is accomplished by theaction of the spring alone, since the freeing'of the needle-shifting armfrom the .detent, which is accomplished by the rotation of thecam-cylinder, requires the exertion of no substantial force whatever,being merely the trifling rotation of the arm against the very slighttorsional tension of the spring, and evenin that form of our device,where the step is inclined, the said incline passes the needle after theconclusion of the shiftingmovementproper and shifts it to suchanineonsiderable extent as to exert no substantial lateral pressureupon, the hub. Eveuthis feature, however, is avoided by the use of thatform of needle-shifting arm which is indicated in Figs. 11. and 13. Wetherefore believe that we have introduced a new principle of operationin this class of devicesto wit, the shifting of the needles by thedirect throw of a spring unattended by-material lateral pressure uponthe needle-hub and independent of the rotary movement of thecam-cylinder.

As the needle-shifting devices above described are completely operativeelements, irrespective of the cams which automatically set them intooperative position, we do not limit our broad claims to the use of suchcams, although of course in our subordinate claims wedesire to includethem as proper adjuncts in an automatic machine. Furthermore, althoughwe use the word vertical in our claims to indicate the direction ofmovement of the needle-shifters, we of course do not by so doing mean tolimit ourselves to a device whose movement is exactly vertical, and theterm must therefore be understood as descriptive of the generaldirection of the throw. In like manner we do not limit our claims to anyspecific form of detent for holding the shifters in their operative orset position, it being only necessary that when set they should bepresented to the needle hub at the proper moment.

We use the term needle-shifter as indicative of either the needle-lifteror the needledepressor, as the case may be, since it is broad enough tocomprehend both devices.

We are aware that the use of needle-shifting arms having a capacity forboth longitudinal and rotary movement upon a post is not new, and we arealso aware that springs have been used in connection with 'such arms toefiect the return thereof to operative position for re'engagement withthe needle-hubs. We, of course, do not claim any such devices,

as ours differs therefrom essentially in the particulars abovedescribed; but

We claim 1. The combination with the cam cylinder, the needle cylinderand the needles, of aver tically movable needle-shifter capable ofengagement with the needle hub; a spring normally tending to throw saidshifter in the direction of its shifting movement, and permitting saidneedle-shifter to yield under the pressure exerted .by the hub of theneedle against the rotation of the cam cylinder and a detent adapted tohold said shifter against the compression of said spring beforeengagement with the needle hub, and releasing said shifter upon suchengagment, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the cam cylinder, the needle-cylinder and theneedles, of avertically movable needle-shifter capable of engagementwith the needle hub; a spring normally tending to throw said shifter inthe direction of its shifting movement and permitting said needleshifter to yield under the pressure exerted by the hub of the needleagainst the rotation of the cam cylinder; a detent adapted to hold saidshifter against the compression of said spring before engagement withthe needle hub, and releasing said shifter upon such engagement; atripper connected with said needle-shifter; and a tripping-cam adaptedto engage with said tripper and set the needle-shifter in positionagainst the compression of its spring, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the cam cylinder, the needle cylinder andneedles, of a vertically movable needle-lifter; a vertically movableneedle-depressor; springs normally tending respectively to throw thelifter upward and the depressor downward and for allowing said needlelifter and depressor to yield in the direction of pressure exerted bythe hub of the needle against the rotation of the cam cylinder; detentscapable of engaging said lifter and said depressor respectively-againstthe compression of said springs; trippers connected respectively withsaid lifter and said depressor, and tripping cams arranged withreference to said trippers, substantially as set forth, whereby saidtripper is permitted to engage operatively with its tripping cam andavoid operative contact with the other tripping cam, as and for thepurposes specified.

4. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a catncylinder having vertical slots symmetrically arranged with reference tothe knitting cams in the manner set forth, each of said slots beingprovided with an off-set; needle-lifter and needle-depressors extendingthrough said slots and adapted to engage within and be detained by saidoff-sets; springs normally tending to throw said lifters and saiddepressors, respectbifurcated arm, and an intermediately hinged strip ofgreater vertical height than the end of said arm, said strip havingarange of movement which permits it, when moved in one direction to forma step, for the needle hub, and when moved in an opposite direction, toclear said hub, substantially as set forth.

6. A knitting machine comprising a cam cylinder, having vertical slotsprovided with off-sets near their lower ends, said cam cylinder beingalso provided with a needle lifter including an arm adapted to engagethe vertical slot and having a shoulder adapted to engage the off-set, asingle spring normally pressing the arm vertically and also tending torotate it so that the shoulder will engage the off-set, a needle hubadapted to engage the shoulder and rotate the arm against thecompression of the spring, whereby the latter is permitted verticalmovement; all substantially as described.

7. A knitting machine comprising a cam cylinder, having a centralknitting cam and knitting cams b b with suitable switch cams, a cylinderupon which the same are mounted, having vertical slots formed throughits wall, said slots having off-sets near their lower ends and at theside farthest away from the central knitting cam; needle lifters,comprising a vertical post secured to the cam cylinder, a block slidingthereon, having an arm engaging saidslots, and a shoulder adapted toengage the off-set, said shoulder being provided with an inclined stepor surface upon which the needle heel can ride, a spring upon said postnormally acting to elevate the block and to keep the arm rotated awayfrom the central knitting cam, means for depressing said block againstthe compression of the spring, whereby the rotating action of saidspring causes the shoulder on the arm to engage the off-set, and aneedle hub adapted in its movement to carry the needle into engagementwith said shoulder and force the same out of said offset, whereby saidblock is raised and the needle rides on the inclined step; allsubstantially as described.

GRAHAM REID. CHARLES STEVENSON. Witnesses:

CHAs. F. lVIYERS, J AMES H. BELL.

IIO

